Currently, research in the field of electronic textiles is very active, and although not a great deal of advanced electronic textile products can be found in the market-place today, it is expected that many new products will find their way to the consumers in the near future.
A problem facing the developers of advanced electronic textiles is how to interconnect electronic devices with each other and with a power source via conductors provided on the fabric substrate of the electronic textile. Furthermore, the electronic devices should be sufficiently firmly attached to the fabric substrate to enable normal handling and washing of the textile.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,440,461 discloses a securing assembly for attaching a light emitting element to fabric and electrically connecting the light emitting element to a conductor pattern provided on the fabric.
Referring to FIG. 1, this assembly 1 includes a two-piece enclosure having a first piece 2 with a base flange 3 and a central bore for receiving the light-emitting element 4, and a second piece 5 with a recess dimensioned to receive the base flange 3 through press-fit with a piece of the fabric 6 interposed there between.
To attach and connect the light-emitting element 4 to an exterior side 7 of the fabric 6, the light-emitting element 4 is first inserted in the first piece 2. The first piece 2 and light-emitting element 4 are then pressed against the fabric 6 such that electrodes 8a-b provided on the light-emitting element 4 penetrate the fabric 6. These electrodes 8a-b are pressed between the base flange 3 of the first piece 2 and the second piece 5 to be bent and retained against conductors 9a-b provided on an interior side 10 of the fabric 6 through the press-fit of the first 2 and second 5 pieces.
A drawback of this securing assembly is that individual control and addressing of each of a plurality of electronic devices appears very difficult to achieve, if at all possible. Furthermore, this securing assembly requires the light-emitting element to have electrodes in the form of “legs” which are suitable for penetration of a fabric, are bendable with relative ease without breaking, and are capable of making good electrical contact with the conductors 9a-b provided on the interior side 10 of the fabric 6.